On March 22, the School of Science and Technology celebrated the acceptance of 12 information technology students and five faculty into the newly established GGC chapter of Upsilon Pi Epsilon (UPE).

This is the first induction ceremony for the GGC chapter of UPE, the international honor society that recognizes academic excellence in the computing and information disciplines. In addition to the inductees, the March 22 ceremonies were attended by Dr. Ali Orooji, a member of UPE’s national executive council.

An administrator with the University of Central Florida, Orooji came to GGC to give official sanction to the new charter, declaring it as the Kappa Chapter of Georgia.

“You are all members of the same chapter and have indicated through your petition to our international society that it is your desire to work together, as one body, for the purpose of furthering the computing and information professions and promoting the aims and ideals of Upsilon Pi Epsilon,” he said.

Acceptance into Upsilon Pi Epsilon is contingent upon academic excellence, says Dr. David Kerven, an associate professor of information technology and the faculty advisor for the GGC Chapter. Candidates must maintain a 3.3 grade point average (GPA) in their information technology courses, and a 3.0 GPA overall. Kerven was inducted into UPE in 1989, while a student at the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

Dr. Thomas Mundie, the dean of the School of Science and Technology, commended the new UPE members for their hard work in the classroom and predicted future success in their careers.

“In the 21st century information technology and computer science are very important disciplines. Much of what drives our economic engine is found in these disciplines, so the nice thing is that you’ll find all sorts of opportunities,” he said.
Five GGC faculty attended the March 22 ceremony and took the oath of UPE membership as well: Drs. Kairui Chen, Anatoly Kurkovsky, Peter Meso, Lissa Pollacia and Joycelyn Streator.